Jasper County SARS Suspects.

news release Jasper County Health Dept.

Three individuals in Jasper County are currently considered to be suspect SARS cases. The first is considered to be a suspect case because of illness and contact with a person from the Toronto are who was ill. No confirmation is available that the person from Toronto was positive for SARS. The two additional Jasper County suspect cases had contact with the first suspect case and later became ill. As per state and federal law, all names and other potentially identifying information will be considered confidential and will not be released by the Jasper County Health Department.

All three suspect cases provided samples for CDC analysis and voluntarily began home isolation upon onset of illness. Contacts of suspect cases were counseled regarding symptoms of SARS to monitor. According to CDC guidance, non-symptomatic contacts are not considered to be infectious. The suspect cases will remain in isolation for 10 days after their fever is gone. After 10 days they may return to normal activities if their respiratory condition has improved, as observed by their physician. After this period, they are no longer considered to be infectious.

Initial laboratory results for the first two suspect cases were received on 6/12/03 and do not confirm the presence of SARS. The CDC requires a second, convalescent, sample to confirm the initial testing. That sample will be collected after 21 days from the symptom onset and analyzed by the CDC. There is no definitive date for results from that testing to be received locally.

The actions of the health department are in concert with the recommendations from CDC in effectively controlling the spread of SARS.

It’s hard ta believe that July 4th is just over a couple a weeks away. Already the fireworks tents are poppin’ up on the outskirts of town. ‘Course as has been for several years now, the discharge of fireworks within City limits is prohibited.

I musta started poppin’ firecrackers at a young age ‘cause I can’t remember the first popper I ignited. A friend a mine remembers the last M-80 he lit. It blew the tip of his thumb off. I haven’t seen old Stubby for a while now, but I’m sure he’d defend the shootin’ of fireworks. Just too much fun to let a little thing like a thumb stand in the way. ‘Course he has ta use his left hand if he’s thumbin’ a ride, and he can only give a thumb and a half up. He can only keep his kids partially under his thumb and ya don’t notice when he thumbs his nose at ya.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin.’

by

Carthage Printing

THIS IS A HAMMER

By Samantha Mazzotta

Charcoal vs. Gas Grills

Q: What’s the best type of grilling medium to use: charcoal or gas? And what about health problems from grilling food? — Dale H., Lake City, Fla.

A: I believe that choice is entirely up to you. Charcoal versus gas grilling has always been a bit of a debate among back-yard warriors, with one side arguing that the flavor charcoal cooking imparts to food is far superior to the convenience of a quick-heating gas grill.

Charcoal grills are less expensive than gas grills, but the savings may dwindle after purchasing briquettes and lighter fluid several times a season. Lighting the briquettes can take a bit of finesse, since too much lighter fluid can impart an undesirable taste to foods. (In any case, letting the charcoal heat for 30-45 minutes should allow the petroleum-based fluid to completely burn off.)

Gas grills cost more, but the convenience of simply switching them on can quickly make up for the amount you spent. Remember not to go for the cheapest model — look for grills with at least two burners, which will distribute heat more evenly than a single-burner discount grill.

If flavor is important, but you prefer a gas grill, options are available to get the best of both worlds. A smoked flavor can be created by soaking hickory or mesquite chips in water for 30 minutes (just as you would for charcoal grilling), spreading them atop the diffuser element (a layer of pumice or other medium), and placing a metal pan of water on the lowest rack of the grill, directly beneath the meat. Keep the grill temperature at low to medium to get the most flavor, and don’t let the wood chips flare up — they should just smoke throughout the cooking process.

The health issue surrounding grilling concerns the amount of carcinogens in food cooked on the grill, particularly meat. You can dramatically reduce the amount of carcinogens (either created or imparted) by cleaning the grill thoroughly after each use, making sure no charred food particles remain on the cooking surface or (in a gas grill) the diffusers. It’s also important to watch the grilling closely to make sure meat doesn’t get charred.

HOME TIP: To find out if the grill is hot enough for cooking, hold your palm about 4 inches above the grill surface. If you can only hold it there for 2 seconds, you have a hot fire (375 degrees F); for 4 seconds, it’s a medium fire (300-350); and for 5 seconds or more it is a low fire (200-300 degrees).